As a rider, you have to put up with motor vehicle drivers talking on their cell phones or texting while driving (even though it’s illegal), distracted drivers, drivers who brake suddenly or drive too slowly, or drivers who fail to check their blind spots before executing a turn or a lane change. Do you know how to cope with all of these threats and still ride safely? The California Highway Patrol offers training classes as part of the California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP).

The CMSP courses include a basic and a premier course. Both courses offer classroom instruction and on-cycle instruction, and both courses provide basic understanding of how motorcycles turn, proper cornering strategies, and emergency crash avoidance skills. The premier course provides eight additional hours of classroom instruction and riding time.

These courses are offered for beginning riders with little to no street-riding experience. Students passing a course receive a certificate that may waive the riding skills test requirement for a motorcycle license at the DMV.

At the CMSP’s Survive the Ride website, you can get more information, view motorcycle safety videos, or find a training class near you. Already an experienced rider? You can impart your wisdom and teach others how to ride as a CMSP certified instructor. We can’t always protect ourselves from the careless, reckless or negligent drivers out there, but knowing how to ride safely and deal with an emergency situation can go a long way toward avoiding a crash or minimizing the most serious consequences of a collision with an automobile.